The turnout threatens to be the lowest ever for national elections, below the 23% of the 1999 European elections

Should the pillar of the local community top the poll in Northamptonshire, the Home Secretary would order an immediate re-run.

Because Theresa May’s flawed law disqualifies Labour’s Barron, a respected local magistrate and former councillor, over a teenage £20 fine for a minor offence in 1990.

The trade unionist’s presence on the ballot paper, in a contest he’d lose if he wins, captures the ridiculousness of a Conservative plan likely to end in a ­self-inflicted bloody nose for David Cameron.

The Prime Plod excelled himself even by his own ­incompetent standards in accepting Nick Clegg’s timetable and holding the elections in November.

Polling booth staff should take a newspaper to read because fewer than nine hours of daylight isn’t going to have them queuing out of the door to vote.

The turnout, in a race nobody wanted except misguided Tory policy wonkers, threatens to be the lowest ever for national ­elections, below the 23% of the 1999 European elections.

Liberal ­Democrats can’t be bothered to raise the party’s standard in all 41 areas outside London.

Cameron’s dream of law and order zealots sweeping the board may be a nightmare if Labour successfully turns the elections into local referendums on police cuts, Miliband’s party gaining a toe-hold to kick Tory MPs out of Parliament.

And we can all take direct action by voting with our hard earned cash.

I’m boycotting Amazon and Starbucks until they tip up tax.

Google’s harder to avoid, but I’ll still be giving it grief.

Auntie is all right

DON’T be fooled by Right-whingers using the BBC crisis to neuter the broadcaster.

Portraying the Beeb as Left-wing has been a persistent calumny since Lord Reith first twiddled the knobs in 1922.

If anything Auntie is an ­establishment creature whose highly paid staff are more interested in their own top tax rate than the tax credits of lowly paid workers.

Dominant big names such as Jeremy Clarkson and Andrew Neil are both terrific broadcasters yet are also on the Right of British politics. BBC chair Lord Chris Patten is a Tory grandee, architect of John Major’s 1992 election victory.

Conservatives and their media allies demand Patten’s head not because he’s Right-wing but he’s not Right-wing enough for their prejudices.

For what it’s worth, I think Patten should stay and sort out the mess then resign.

Neil or David Dimbleby could be a smart choice as Director-General.

But please spare us the Right-whinge guff about a Left-wing BBC.

Tories wrong to demand law be ignored

TORY MPs demanding the law be ignored and Abu Qatada be bundled out of Britain on a plane are hypocrites.

The moment a trade union fails to dot an i or cross a t they shout the law must be obeyed.

Obeying the rule of law is a cornerstone of democracy, and that includes respecting it with figures as hateful as Abu Qatada.